Proficiency test

“Speaking practice”

CODI UFRO – Miss Mayerly Gómez S.

 Objectives

• To improve speaking skills.

• To practice for the

speaking proficiency test.
 Practice: Personal Questions
 What is your name? What is your last name? (Spell both of them)
 How old are you?
 Where do you live? Who do you live with?
 What do you do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
 Do you practice any sports? Which one? Talk about it.
 What do you usually do during the weekend? (Routine - Present simple)
 What did you do the last weekend/yesteday/before clases, etc.? (Past simple)
 What are you going to do tomorrow/after classes/ this weekend, etc.? (Plans – Future)

Activities
1.- Write in a piece of paper your possible answers to these questions.
2.- Choose a partner and ask/answer to each other these questions. Try not to use your
notes from the previous activity.
 Tips: Picture Description
 Before starting to describe your picture, you are going to be given some seconds
to look at it. Use your time wisely and think about some ideas and vocabulary
you can use to describe your picture.

 If you do not know the specific vocabulary to talk about something, try to
describe it in a different way using language that you know. Avoid getting stuck!

 When you start describing your picture, think that the person who is listening to
you has to imagine in his/her mind exactly what you are looking in your picture.
Simple things are not obvious!
 Tips: Picture Description
A. General information Describe the things you see

What’s in the picture? The woman is wearing a (color) T-shirt.

In the picture I can see ... There is a (size) table.

There is / There are ...
There isn’t a ... / There aren’t any ...
C. Speculate
What do you think is happening? Give reasons and get
B. Specific information creative!
Say what is happening with the present continuous I think the people are…
The man is ...ing Maybe they are…
The people are ...ing
It’s raining It could be…

Where in the picture?

At the top/bottom of the picture ... D. Personal opinion
In the middle of the picture ...
On the left/right of the picture ... What do you think about the picture? What does it
Next to make your feel?
In front of
In my opinion, the picture is…
Behind
Near I think the picture is…
On top of
Under It makes me think of…
It makes me feel…
 Let’s practice!
Work in pairs and assign each
other a letter (student A and B).
Describe the following pictures
trying to give as many details as
possible.
 Student B

Student A
 Student B

Student A
 Student B

Student A
 Tips: Discussion
 First, the test taker is going to read the situation. Then, he/she will give you
and your partner some seconds to look at the situation again a check the
options you are given. Use your time efficiently and think about your opinion
before the conversation starts.

 Say what you think about the topic and explain why you think that.

 Listen to the opinion of your partner and say if you agree or disagree with
him/her.

 After giving your opinion, ask your partner what he/she thinks about it.

 Do not let the discussion stop! Keep talking and interacting with your partner.
 Tips: Discussion
B. Asking for an opinion
• What’s your idea?
• What do you think?
• What are your thoughts about this?
• Do you have anything to say about
this?
• Do you agree?
• How do you feel about that?
A. Stating an opinion
• In my opinion…
• I think…
• If you ask me…
• The way I see it…
C. Expressing agreement
• I agree with you.
• Absolutely.
• I like your idea.
• I couldn’t agree more with
you.
D. Expressing disagreement
• I’m afraid I disagree with you.
• I disagree.
• It does not sound like a good idea to
me.
• I don’t think so.
 Let’s practice!

Choose a partner and get ready

to practice discussion topics with
him/her.
 Speaking Discussion 1
 You and your friend won plane tickets to travel to
a country of your interest. Where would you go?
Why? Discuss the options with your partner.
 Speaking Discussion 2
 You and your friend want to save money to travel together.
What would you do to earn extra money? Why? Discuss the
options with your partner.
 Speaking Discussion 3
You and your friend want to do an activity together.
What sport would you do? Why? Discuss the options with
your partner.
 Summary
 In this presentation we checked tips to improve speaking
skills and practiced to take the speaking proficiency test.

What do you remember about the

presentation?

• Personal questions (mention some

questions and possible answers)
• Picture description tips
• Discussion tips
Good luck! You can do it!